Return Of An Exile
by sova enari
Summary: Garak receives a message from someone on Cardassia who needs his help... and quickly. NOT SLASH!
1. Lunch

**Ok, go easy on me guys, this is my first attempt at writing a serious story that centres on Garak and Julian. If I have them out of character feel free to tell me. (But do it nicely 'cause I'm a fragile soul :) )**

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The promenade was busy; as it always was during the lunch hours. Bajorans filed out of the temple, fresh out of morning services, and went their separate ways. Noise from the dabo wheels and the shouts of the customers drifted out of Quark's, where members of many different species sat drowning their sorrows or gambling their money away.

On the other side of the promenade, at their usual table in the replimat, a human and a Cardassian sat eating their lunch. The human dropped his fork onto the table.

"You want to do what?!"

* * *

"You know that is insane?"

Garak rolled his eyes. "Doctor, I assure you I have planned everything thoroughly. There is nothing 'insane' about this."

Bashir stared incredulously at his friend. "But, Garak, it sounds-"

He cut Julian off with an impatient wave of the hand. "I don't want your opinions on it, Doctor, I want to know if you're coming with me."Julian's eyes widened. "Coming with… Garak, you know I couldn't even if I wanted to!"

"Oh, let me guess… your insufferable Star Fleet regulations forbid it," Garak replied. "Well, let me ask you this, have you ever considered _ignoring_ the rules?"

Julian sighed and picked up his fallen fork. "Not this time, Garak."

The tailor leaned forward. "You do realise that you owe it to me."

"I owe it to you?!" Bashir exploded. "How did you figure that one out?"

"I was the one who let you listen in to the conversation between me and those badly dressed Kling-on sisters," Garak pointed out. "And you never even thanked me for it."

As Julian began to splutter again, Garak held up his hands. "But there's no need to worry about it. I'm offering you a way to make up for your transgression and clear you of your debt to me."

* * *

Dax watched the heated argument with interest and turned to Worf.

"No," he said quickly.

"No what?"

"You were about to ask me to go over to the doctor's table and find out what they are arguing about. No."

Dax looked innocently at him.

"No!"

* * *

"But, doctor-"

"Ahem."

Garak looked up slowly to see a very uncomfortable looking Worf standing at their table.

"May I join you?" he asked gruffly.

"By all means," Bashir replied, relieved to have a break from the argument.

This was not the answer Worf wanted to hear, but seeing no honourable way out, he sat down at the empty chair.

An uncomfortable silence fell over the table and Bashir glanced around the replimat, catching sight of Dax in the process. He smiled, knowing the Trill too well to be fooled by the Kling-on's sudden sociality. He leaned forward towards the wary Kling-on.

"You can tell Dax that we were talking about paint samples," Julian whispered.

Deeply relieved, the Kling-on stood up. "Thank you, Doctor."

"Well, I'm glad that's over with," Garak muttered as Worf made his way back to his former table. "Now, your answer please?"

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**Please review and tell me how I'm doing so far! :)**


	2. Making A Stand

**Chapter 2. This has been tricky... please be nice to me!**

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Sisko stared at his doctor. "You're serious?"

Bashir managed a smile. "Unfortunately, yes, sir, I am."

Sisko closed his eyes briefly, trying to get the doctor's story straight in his mind.

"You want me to authorise leave for you, which you don't have, so that you can go to Cardassia with _Garak_?"

Bashir hesitated then nodded. "Yes, sir."

He sdtood up. "Out of the question."

"Captain, with all due respect-"

"Doctor, I know Mr Garak is a friend of yours but he is also a man with a dangerous past and I don't want to be left without a Chief Medical Officer!"

Julian's face hardened. "Yes, sir."

Sisko nodded. "Dismissed."

* * *

Garak looked up from his sewing and noticed Major Kira storming past his shop. Dropping the dress, he hurried outside.

"Major!" he called.

Kira stopped and turned, her expression angry. "What do you want, Garak?"

"If we could talk inside..."

"I'm busy!" she snapped. "What is it?"

He checked over both shoulders and leaned forwards, much to the Bajoran's disgust.

"I need you to speak to Captain Sisko for me," he said quietly. "It is a matter of _extreme_ importance."

"I have better things to do with my time," she replied coldly.

"Major, please!" He looked around again. "I need your help."

* * *

Julian frowned as he concentrated on the information in front of him. He heard someone talking outside and then Dax burst into his office.

"Julian, you can't be serious!" she exclaimed loudly.

He shut down the computer and turned to her slowly. "Garak told you then."

"No, Kira said he asked her to convince Sisko to let you have leave," she said. "He will never agree to that."

Julian gestured hopelessly. "He's a friend! He needs my help, I can't just sit here and let him go alone!"

"I think Garak can handle himself without any help from you, Julian!"

"Maybe, but he asked for my help and I..." he trailed off. "I am going to give it to him."

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**Review?**

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	3. Paying Back A Debt

**Chapter 3 - Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far!**

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Garak was working in the shop when the computer bleeped and alerted him to an incoming transmission. He slipped into the private area behind the counter and pressed a button on the computer.

His eyes widened in surprise at the face that appeared on the screen in front of him. "Elorem?"

The Cardassian smiled tightly. "No time for pleasantries, I'm afraid, Elim. I need to get out and fast."

* * *

Dax took a sip of her coffee as the turbolift stopped in Ops and Kira stepped off. She ordered a raktagino and walked over to Dax's console.

"Is Julian in there?" she asked quietly, motioning towards Sisko's office. Dax nodded.

"What did Sisko say when you spoke to him?" she asked.

"He's still against it," Kira replied, taking a careful sip of the hot coffee. "Do you have any idea what all this is about?"

Dax shook her head. "Not a clue. But you know Julian, always the loyal puppy."

Both women turned back to the office as the doors swished open and the doctor practically skipped down the stairs.

"What did he say?" Dax asked.

Julian grinned and clasped his hands behind his back. "He said to take the Rio Grande and be back by next week."

* * *

Later that night, the Rio Grande slowly disembarked and began its journey to Cardassia Prime.

Inside the shuttle craft, Bashir turned to Garak and folded his arms.

"Now, do you mind telling me what this is all about, Garak?"

Garak smiled slightly and kept his eyes on the computer console. "'This' being...?"

"'This' being what is likely to turn out to be some kind of wild goose chase to Cardassia!" replied Julian angrily. "Would you please tell me what is going on here?!"

The Cardassian gave an exaggerated sigh and swivelled his chair round to face Bashir.

"Last week, I received a message from a friend of mine," he began.

"This 'friend' wouldn't hae anything to do with the Obsidian Order, by any chance?" Julian asked suspiciously.

"My friend," he continued, ignoring his question, "Has a debt to pay back to some... rather powerful men, shall we say, and he needs my help."

"That's it?" Bashir asked incredulously.

Garak smiled. "Disappointed?"

"Well, yes!" he spluttered. "After all that secrecy, the bargaining with Captain Sisko and Kira... all you want is to help a friend pay back a debt? Why couldn't you just send him the money?!"

"Ah, but doing it in person is much more... considerate, wouldn't you say so, Doctor?"

Julian refused to answer. "Laying in a course for Cardassia, warp 2."

"Warp 2?" Garak questioned. "Surely this runabout can go faster than that!"

The doctor grit his teeth. "Laying in a course for Cardassia, warp 2. After all, your friend can wait a few extra hours, can't he, Garak?"

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**Julian should know about Garak's lies by now...**

**Sorry this took so long but I got stuck. Please be nice of you're going to review :)**

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